Improvement in stills for refining and distilling oils



i lUNITED .STATES PA'raNrOF-aicn SAMUELIGIBBONS, OF BINGHAMTON,.NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR THE EXCELSIOR OIL-MANUFACTURING COMPANY..

f MPRoyEMENT iN suits For REHNIANG AND DlsuLLlNG ons.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 85,810, dated J annary l2, 1859.4

I .To all .whom it may concern:

. act description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making apart of these specications.' .f

a m represent retortsfor stills; b, suplpl pipes; d d,'theupper surface of chamber h e,

l .vapor-pipe-to condenser f; g hr, dischargepipes; t', conducting-'pipe from still 'a to still m; x, perpendicular chambers; k k, perforated cross-pipes; ll, steampump or injector; n', vapor-pipe from still m; o, discharge-pipe from chamber h h.,- s, water-supplypipe to, and

.t discharge-pipe from, condenserf; u, partition in chamber h k; t, valve; ug, steam-pipe;

` y, horizontal supply-pipe. Y

Figure 1 is an end elevationclosed; Figs. 2 and 4, horizontal sectional views; Fig. 3, end elevation opened.

In this new process of refining and distill-i.

in g, the crude oil is admittedinto still a through pipe b, when it passes4 over lthe oute-r surface of chamber h h, the' radiated heat from which l vaporizes the lighter portionl of the' oil, which is then carried through the pipee into the condenser j', where it is condensed, and discharged throu gh pipe qjiny the form of naphtha or benzine. That portion of thel oil not vaporized in passing over theheated surface of the cham-p berk h passcs'from the bottom of ths-tillathroughthe pipet' into' the chamber j, thence rises,l and another portion of oilis vaporized b v passingl over or under sprays fof steam tgcctedi'romthe pipes 1c kin still m, as shownin 'lii g. 2, or the oil is introduced directly from still a through pipe t' into the steam-pipe w, when it is vaporized by being forced through the perforated pipes 7c -k by means of an injec- .tor or steam-pump, l l, Fig. 4. The hot vapor 'and steam then pass from still m through the vapor-pipe a into the horizontal chamber h h. This chamber is provided with a partition, u, or pipe a, so arranged as to keep a continuous current of lhet steam and vapor passing in and out, so producing and. utilizing an amount of cat, which would otherwise be lost, sufficient tovaporize4 a portion of the oil jm its vfirst in` troductioii into the -still a. From the4 chamber h h the vapor 'and steam pass out at pipe o l and into the condenser f, an d,being there oonderised, is discharged frompipe k 1n thc form of kerosene-oil.

The degree of heat required lin` chamber h` h is regulated by means of valve 'o in pipe n.

- That por ion of voil not vaporiz'ed by the labove-described process passes from still'm into chamber a, and is discharged from pipe 1' in the form of marketable oil.

1f theupper surface of chamber h h be smooth,

the crude oil isi'ntroduced 'and distribntedover the same by -ineans of the perforated pipe y,

Fig. 4. If corrugated vor grooved, the oil is introduceddirectly from pipe b, las 4shown in Fig.2. f v

The marked advantages securedby this improved process 'of reiining oils' are,."first, the production of a superior article; second, greatly increased-production; third, rapidity of operation; fourth, 'a lmateri a .lreduction in the cost of labor and fuel. i

'I am aware that oil has -been distilled by passing itii a thin stratum over the bottom of the still, which isheated beneath or around its exterior. v Ig am also aware that the'carrying-oft of vai .pors of oil byI means of a jet or blastof steam or. air is .not new, nor the removing of the light ,from the heavy parts' of; petroleum by such jets; ,nor'doQ I claimthe use of vapor while passing through the condenser for heating the 'o ilon its passage into the still., 1 1 admit'my oil cold into the still in a body and itpasses through the still, `bein g Vaporizet entirely by steam both directly and indirectlyv applied. l

It will be seen, by my process, that the vapor formed in the still m rises through the goose-neck a, and is then passed into the chamber h, and from thence back into the still m, thereby assisting materially in distillation.- By my process the oil is admitted directly into the still without the aid of pressure or a forcing apparatus of any form, as there is no interruption, in the form of steam, 0r other obstruction to prevent its free ingress. i 1 I do not spray the oil, ,but allow :it to'pass in volume through both the pipe fand still,

thereby enabling the distillation of a great quantity of oil at one time, and very rapidly. In admitting the oil on the plate d and through the steam-chamber abovfA l, ani enabled to combine the distillation process ot' both steam and heat. The vapor and ste-ani in the chamber h and steam in the still a. cause the partial distillation ot' oil in the upper still before its passage to the lower one.

It will be understood, of course, that the stills a and m may be in one ease with a division-plate, or they may be Separated, as shown in the drawings.

After the oil, partially distilled, has passed into the lower still, m, it is there acted upon bythe steam in the form ot' spray, passing through the spray-openin gs in the cross-pipes k on the steam-pipe u. rIhese spray-openings are used in contradistinotion to steam-jets, so as to vaporize the. 4 il, and n ot agitate the same on its passage in a body through the still. By these means I produce anr oil in an unoolored or nearly White state.

The injector l at the end of the pipe uf can be used for injecting either steam or air into the oil for vaporizing the saine.

Vhat I claim isl. The use of Vapor and steam combined, which arise during distillation from thelower still, m, for the purpose oi' heating the eha'ni- -ber l1 ,in the upper still, a, to assist' in evaporuting` the. lighter portins of' oil on its first introdnet-irm in volumeinto thestill, substantially as set forth.

2. The vaporization oi oil by passing, it in volume overor under sprays of' steam, sub

stantially in the nlannru-- speciiill.

The steam and vapor chamber 71, arranged i 6. The Witliiirdescribed process for refining,-

oils, substantially as spcciiied.

7. Applying the steam for vaporizing over or above the body of the oil, so as toheat it without agitation, and preventearryi'ngover the unvaporized particles of oil, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claiin the foregoing I have hereunto set iny hand this 21st day of November, 1867.

SAUL. GIBBONS. Witnesses:

EDWARD K. CLARK, G. E. immuun. 

